Every week I enjoy seeing the photographs featured in The Saturday Age’s Good Weekend Magazine’s Exposure section on page 3 so it’s a real treat to have one of my photos featured today. It’s a photo from my in-laws cattle station in central Queensland where they are suffering the effects of the current drought. Caption is below.

The grass has all but dried up at Riverside Station, a sixth generation family beef farm with 12,000 head of cattle on 80,000 acres near Nebo in central Queensland. The remaining grass lacks adequate nutrients, so 40 kilogram "lick blocks" are distributed through the paddocks packed with protein, calcium, multi-vitamins, and sweetened with molasses. "The horses were walking lethargically but with heartbreaking enthusiasm toward these blocks," says photographer Charlie Kinross, whose wife's parents run the farm with three of their six children. "The flocks of cockatoos and galahs in nearby trees are particularly noisy at sunset, their squawks sounding as wretched and dry as the land," Kinross says. "They can't remember a drought this bad at Riverside."

I spent a night in hospital last week (minor surgery, nothing serious) and during this time got to know my room mates, and naturally couldn't resist asking to do their portraits. Talking to Daniel in this first shot, I was shocked to learn that he was an hour away from possibly having his foot amputated due to infection. I didn't see him again as I left after this but I got his address to send him a print and he was going to write back and let me know how it went and if they were able to save is foot.

Brian, in this second shot, was facing more complicated and less serious treatment which I won't go into, but he had been there a while and had a good few days to go. He said he didn't mind as it was a bit like a hotel, his bed was next to the window with 5th story views of Melbourne, and he seemed quite content to sit for long periods thinking without needing to read or watch TV. When I asked to take his photo he said "Want to see my tattoos?" Well of course.

After years of entering The Moran Contemporary Photography Prize and receiving emails saying "unfortunately you did not make the shortlist" I was expecting the same this year and did a double take when I saw the line: "We are very pleased to congratulate you on your selection as a semi-finalist in this year's prize." for not one but both my submitted images. Lucy and David both taken on my wife's (Lucy) farm in central Queensland.

I was commissioned by Qantas magazine recently to do a story for their July issue on 'What Makes Melbourne So Melbourne'. It was a great brief which allowed me to reconnect with my home town and do what I did when I got my first camera, walk around Melbourne taking pictures, fun. I haven't received a copy yet but they ran these images.

I photographed this (slightly) Shining themed cafe named Overlook for Palace Cinemas last week, it's part of The Astor Theatre in St Kilda. Another good reason to visit this beautiful old original cinema.

I was pleasantly surprised to see this full page spread of my images in The Age Spectrum this weekend (Saturday 18th Feb, 2017). Thanks to Victorian Opera for yet another very fun shoot and to Joe Blanck for creating such mesmerising and photogenic puppets.

I had a fun shoot with writer, documentary maker, tv and radio personality John Safran the week before last which was a real treat for me being a long time fan. He was great to work with and just as funny and friendly in person as he is on radio/tv. I'll be putting up a gallery in a few weeks and will be able to say more about it but for now here's a teaser.

Some shots from a recent shoot of Benjamin Baldwin in his workshop. It was really fascinating to watch Ben work using traditional tools and techniques. In Ben's words: From the ground up my goal is to create the most sustainable products available. This includes everything from the design and material choices to the construction techniques and finishes. All of my products are made entirely from locally sourced recycled timber and are designed responsibly, ensuring that excessive usage and waste is minimised. I use very traditional joinery techniques so my products will last a lifetime and I don't use any toxic glues or finishes in the process. It's all about keeping things simple, sustainable and strong.

I was asked to take of a few photos of the new outdoor courtyard/cinema at my favourite cinema Westgarth Theatre in Northcote just before Christmas. It's a great vibe on a warm night, plenty of those ahead. As always Palace Cinemas have created a warm and inviting atmosphere.

I was sent up to level 74 at Eureka Tower to photograph a couple and their apartment for a story on people living in tall buildings for the Guardian Weekend Magazine in London. I had some pretty serious vertigo when I first walked into their lounge featuring floor to ceiling glass all around, but the awe inspiring view soon helped me forget the sheer drop in front of me. The story will be published in Feb.

I recently left my beloved studio in the city, The Home Room in Mitchell House, for a new space at Nicholson Street Studios in Brunswick East, set up by my very good friends Hilary and Ben. This week Hilary was asked to photograph the studio for Spaces and along with that shoot came this group shot and now gif of all but one of the gang here at NSS. That's me in the middle with the grey jumper looking at my shoes all the time.

I spent the first half of this week in Bendigo and Ballarat shooting some night streetscapes for Vic Roads. They specifically asked for tilt shift photography. Of course this meant that I was driving alone with my camera so I had no one to annoy when I kept stopping to photograph things along the way.

Had a great time shooting Malthouse Theatre's 2017 season launch party the other night. It was seriously one of the most fun parties I've ever attended. The fact that it was DJ'd by Client Liaison played a pretty big part in that, they really know how to get people dancing.

The Moran Prize photography category is a bit like entering a lottery, you don't expecting to win, but you enter anyway just in case. It's nice to look over your photos from the last year and evaluate what stands out, what would I vote for. This shot of my wife's great aunty Nancy being married to Hans, who she met in her nursing home in Dandenong, felt right. It was a beautiful occasion and I like to think this moment captures that sentiment.